Practice bomb



Feb. 9, 1937. c. F. HOFSTETTER PRAC'I ICE BOMB Filed Nov. 21, 1934Inventor Clarence FLI-Iufstettr Atturna Patented Feb. 9, 1937 UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE PRACTICE BOIWB Clarence F. Hofstetter, UnitedStates Army, Missoula, Mont.

Application November 21, 1934, Serial No. 754,091

2 Claims.

The invention described herein may be manufactured and used by or forthe Government for governmental purposes, without the payment to me ofany royalty thereon.

The subject of this invention is a practice bomb.

The purpose of the invention is to provide a practice bomb with meansfor indicating or signalling the position of its landing, which may bereadily and inexpensively associated with the bomb and positively heldin a safe position when carried by aircraft.

To these and other ends, the invention consists in the construction,arrangement and combination of elements described hereinafter andpointed out in the claims forming a part of this specification.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawing, where- Fig. 1 is a fragmentary, longitudinalsectional view of a bomb constructed in accordance with the invention.

Fig. 2 is a rear end view.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3--3 of Fig. 1.

Referring to the drawing by characters of reference there is shown aportion of the body 5 of a conventional practice bomb which is adaptedto be filled with an inexpensive material such as water. A conicaltail-piece B is secured to the rear of the body and carries aconventional fin assembly 1 which includes a central box-like frame 8.

According to the present invention the conical tail piece is modified byhaving a reduced rear portion which is preferably a cylinder 9, thepurpose being to obtain a reduced diameter at a point some distanceforwardly of the rear extremity of the tail piece.

A cup-shaped adapter l0 fits in the rear part of the cylinder 9 and ispreferably held in place by split pins lI--|I so that it may be readilyapplied and removed. A tube l2 extending through the cup and securedthereto as by welding, projects into the tail-piece 6 and into the frame8. The inner end of the tube is closed by a plate l3 which carries afixed firing pin or striker l4- and the outer end is provided with slotsIS.

A signal cartridge I6 having the usual primer I1 and a charge which isadapted to provide a signal, is inserted in the tube l2 through theouter open end and. is held therein by bending inwardly some of the tabsl8 which are formed between the slots IS.

The base of the cartridge is normally maintained in spaced relation withrespect to the striker 14 by means of a spring l9 and also by means of apin 20 which passes through the cylinder 9 and tube 12, and projects onboth sides of the cylinder. A spring 2| embraces one end of the pin andis confined between the cylinder and a head 22 on the pin. The pin isheld in place against the tendency of the spring to withdraw it by meansof a wire 23 passing through an aperture 24 in its opposite end. Thiswire is associated with the launching apparatus of aircraft, as is wellunderstood in the art, and is withdrawn from the pin when the bomb isdropped.

The parts are in the safe position when arranged as in Fig. 1, the pin20 positively preventing the cartridge from being fired. Ordinarily thepin 20 will be removed upon launching the bomb but it is possible tolaunch the bomb without causing removal of the pin by merelydissociating the wire 23 from the aircraft. When the bomb is armed, thecartridge moves forwardly on impact and is fired, the signalling elementof the cartridge indicating the position of the bomb.

I claim:

1. A practice bomb including a body having a reduced cylindrical rearportion, an adapter removably carried by the rear portion, a tubecarried by the adapter and extending into the rear portion of the body,the outer end of the tube provided with tabs, a fixed striker in theinner end of the tube, a signal cartridge in the tube and carrying asignalling element adapted to be projected therefrom, said cartridgehaving its outer end confined by the tabs, an arming pin passing throughthe rear portion of the body and through the tube and holding thecartridge away from the striker, and a spring between the arming pin andstriker.

2. A practice bomb including a body having a reduced rear portion, anadapter carried by the rear portion, a tube carried by the adapter andextending into the rear portion of the body, a fixed striker in theinner end of the tube, a signal cartridge in the tube and carrying asignalling element adapted to be projected therefrom, means at the outerend of the tube for retaining the cartridge, an arming pin passingthrough the rear portion of the body and through the tube and holdingthe cartridge away from the striker, and a spring between the arming pinand striker.

CLARENCE F. HOFSTETTER.

